


All Our Rules

by Geri_Lea



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 15:17:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14240097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geri_Lea/pseuds/Geri_Lea
Summary: It's been five years and Mark gets a text from Sebastian opening the past and their relationship back up.





	All Our Rules

 

The text message that Mark receives has him choke on his morning coffee.

_I want to see you._

Calling him shocked was an understatement. It’s not that he received a text message from Seb that stunned him, it was _those_ words. The last time those words had been said in text messages or in person was after his last race for Red Bull. He had assumed since his retirement that they had put that aspect of their relationship in the past.

His thumb moves to respond, and he stares aimlessly ahead when he’s lost for a response. “Just say no, don’t go fucking backwards,” he mutters to himself as he responds.

_Let’s talk in person about this. I’ll see you at the next race. I have media commitments._

_That’s breaking 2 rules. No talking about it. And not at the track._

Mark starts coughing and he hastily puts down his coffee before it drowns him. Mark’s head was swimming. Their rules? Their fucked up rules they made to keep things uncomplicated when they were _teammates_? Yeah, and they worked out great. And since when the hell was he back racing at Red Bull? Did he fall asleep last night and wake up 5 years ago?

_Have you lost your marbles mate?_ He wasn’t dancing around the bush about this.

_Since when did you make this hard? I. Want. To. See. You._

When did _he_ make this hard? Since when was this still on? Mark slams the call button.

“Seriously?” Sebastian sounds pissed off. “Why can’t you make a time?”

Mark shakes his head and pull his hair. “Mate, the last time you sent me a text that said that was… it’s year ago. You can’t blindside me like that. So yes, I will talk to you about this. In. Person.”

“So you’re saying no,” Sebastian answers bluntly.

“I didn’t say no,” Mark hastily snaps back and then shakes his head at himself. Of course he was saying fucking no.

“Good. I can work with not no.” And Mark hear his fucking smirk down the phone line.

Fucking shit. Mark’s fingers itched, and he curled his hand into a fist.

“I want to see you before the race.”

Mark’s nostrils flares and he clenches his jaw tightly as he grits out, “I am _not_ at your beck and call.”

“Really? The way this worked Mark was that you came when I asked, never the other way around. So yes, you were at my beck and call then, and I have decided to end our intermission.”

“Five fucking years is not an intermission!” Mark barks at him.

“Whatever,” Sebastian blows his comment off. “No where in our rules does it say things cease after a _break_.”

“And what? You kept a set of the rules?” Mark asks checking the time wondering if he could have something stronger than coffee this morning.

“Of course,” Sebastian answers chirpily. “I have the list here. Last rule that was added was rule 21, which is ironic since it was after Malaysia’s whole multi-21.”

Mark breathes deeply because this whole conversation was bringing back too many memories. And they were _not_ memories he had spent the last five years indulging in. He had put his F1 career to bed, and his relationship with Sebastian, including the uh…extras, to bed as well.

“Do you remember the rule?” Sebastian asks.

“Yes.” Of course, he remembered the rule, it was his damn rule. “Is anyone with you right now?”

“What? Of course not. I’m not going to sit here with company, text you and stare at a set of printed rules where rule number 3 says ‘rules are not to be discussed with any other living being’.”

Mark sucks in his breath. Why the hell had Sebastian kept and then felt inclined to review their outdated rules? “That wasn’t my point. I am worried you fell and hit your head and are in need of medical care.”

Sebastian sighs and it’s like he drops the act. “Mark, I want to see you,” he repeats and the way he asks, it was like any person asking to see someone else.

“Okay,” Mark relents because maybe this was important or something happened. “Let’s have dinner on the Wednesday night. If you’re free. Before the race.”

There’s a beat of silence. “Okay but rule 9 says, no public –“

Mark hangs up on him promptly. He was not discussing their rules. He was pretty sure after all this time he had worked out how to protect himself from Sebastian.

*

“You didn’t wait for me?”

Mark looks up from his dinner and shrugs. “It’s not a date mate. You were late.”

Sebastian who looks flustered as if he had rushed here, sits down at the table and reaches over and grabs Mark’s glass of wine.

“Still taking my things,” Mark comments as Sebastian takes a large mouthful before flagging over a waiter to ask for a menu.

“Yeah, well if you started drinking –“

“I haven’t nearly had enough alcohol yet to not make this awkward.”

Sebastian leans back in his chair and frowns. “It doesn’t have to be awkward,” he states calmly smiling at the waiter that hands him a menu. “What did you order?”

“He’ll have a chicken pasta. Vegetables on the side,” Mark says to the water. “And he’ll drink water.”

Sebastian sucks in his breath glaring at Mark.

“What? You have a race to prepare for. I’m not taking shit from your Finnish trainers. Or worse, Britta.”

Sebastian rolls his eyes. “I can handle them just fine.” He waves the waiter off, having decided to accept Mark’s order for him.

“So,” Mark raises his eyebrows. “Are you going to tell me what all of this about?” He leans over to take his glass of wine back.

A shrugged response of, “I wanted to see if you would respond.”

“And if I had jumped at your invitation?” Mark asks curiously.

Sebastian smirks. “You jumped at responding.”

Mark points a finger at him. “That’s not accepting.” Mark leans closer, “And why after all this time are you determined to stamp your feet on this tiny raft you and I exist on. Do you want to drown us both?”

Sebastian purses his lips. “I never drowned you before. And I fucking tried.” Mark’s wine is back in Sebastian’s hand. “You can swim just fine.”

Mark lets out a loud puff of air as the last of his wine disappears, the glass slammed back on the table. “I’m not doing this with you again.”

Sebastian crosses his arms and he looks incredibly unhappy at not getting his way, just as his meal appears.

“Things are okay between us Seb. Look, we are almost having a civil meal. Why do you want to make this… hard, difficult and everything else that we were?” Mark is still confused but Sebastian seems to be focused on his meal, not answering the question.

He slurps at his pasta like a child and Mark winces at the noise watching as the long strands disappear into his lips, sauce splattering on his face. Anyone would think he didn’t know manners, but Mark can see the hard look in Seb’s eyes and knows he was baiting him into a fight, so he clamps his mouth tightly closed. He wasn’t doing any games with Seb.

Sebastian wipes at his face. “Maybe now is a good time,” he says after a long moment. “You’re right, we are… still. We don’t fight on track, there’s no hate or anger. So why not now?” Sebastian asks him. “Are you seeing someone? If you were you would have just told me that when I texted you.”

“What we’ll be doing Seb, is going back. I’m not going back there with you,” Mark replies quietly, his tone just as serious as Sebastian’s.

“Mark, just because we are okay, does not mean that we ever left,” Sebastian doesn’t let his gaze drop from Mark’s. “We are still _there_ , we just don’t talk about it.”

Mark wants to ask if by ‘there’ Sebastian means all the anger and hate that existed when they were teammates or their ‘relationship’ which never had a proper conclusion.

“Anyway,” Sebastian shrugs. “You decide. Just tell me no.” He takes a slow and deliberate sip of water, and Mark can see the challenge in his eyes and there’s a familiar flicker in the pit of his stomach at it.

Silence was best for now and Mark returns to eating his meal. Sebastian smirking as he does the same, like he had won the first round.

*

It’s late, the race well and truly finished when Mark opens his hotel room door. At least he’s not surprised at Sebastian’s presence, he seemed to be determined to be in his way at every possible turn. Sebastian’s determination somewhere between amusing and a pain in the ass.

“Say no,” Sebastian orders him and Mark cocks his head at Sebastian thinking he can tell him what he can do.

“Or?” Mark questions.

“Let me in.” Sebastian puts his hands on his hips and waits.

Mark’s too tired to fuck with him. “I’m not saying yes,” he mutters stepping aside to let him in. And Sebastian grins and bounces into his room with way too much energy. He was making him feel old.

Sebastian shrugs and goes to the mini bar. “Rule 2 was there are no no’s so it doesn’t matter if you say it or not.”

“Give me the list of the damn rules,” Mark orders and Sebastian stands back up, chocolate bar in one hand and a folded piece of paper in the other. “From memory, it was you that said no all the time.”

“Yeah well I don’t like my ass being belted,” Sebastian snaps back.

“I never belted you,” Mark snaps unfolding the piece of paper to look at all their rules. He sucks in his breath because this was the original set. Their handwriting and editing over the years all marked down in history. There was even dates. Each new rule initialled by both of them.

“Spanked, whatever,” Sebastian mutters with his mouthful.

“And you got off on it, so shut your mouth.” Mark’s feels like the air was thin. This may as well be a timeline of their relationship, every rule after the first 5 was added due to incidents in their relationship.

When Sebastian goes back to get something else from the minibar, Mark walks over and kicks the door shut. “You’ll send me broke.”

Sebastian rolls his eyes and Mark wishes after all this time that was a habit he had stopped. He reaches forward snatching his chin and gripping it hard. “You really want this?”

Mark watches as Sebastian’s eyes widen and his breath hitched. “Ja. Yes.” Mark lowers his head, pushes his face into his neck and breathes him in. He’d showered, there’s no scent of champagne, no evidence of his podium. It’s surprisingly disappointing.

Mark rubs his cheek against his, Seb’s facial too long for his taste. Mark still holding his chin, forces him to tilt his head and expose his neck. They hadn’t done a single thing and Sebastian’s breathing was already all over the place.

“Calm down Seb,” Mark orders quietly. “It’s just sex.”

“Just sex,” he repeats blinking a few times and Mark can see him return a little.

“What do you want?” Mark asks.

Sebastian frowns looking confused because Mark never asked what he wanted.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Mark orders. “Do you want to get off, do you want me to deny you. Reward you for getting on the podium, punish you for failing to get the win. What do you need?”

“Mark, I…” Sebastian trails off because he never decided anything between them.

“You came to me mate,” Mark says and he looks for a pen, and snatching up their rules to add a new one.

“What are you adding?” Sebastian asks rushing over.

“New rule. You come to me, you tell me what you want. If I come to you, I tell you what I want.”

“That’s a stupid rule. That’s not how this works.” Sebastian had the audacity to stamp his foot. “Give me that, they’re my rules anyway.”

“ _Our_ rules,” Mark retorts trying to snatch it away and instead the well-worn piece of paper rips on an old crease line. “That’s clearly your fault,” Mark mutters looking at rules 15 to 21 on his piece of paper.

“I wrote most of them,” Sebastian argues back.

“Yes, rule 10, no fucking other people?” Mark mocks. “That was because you were certain I was fucking Fernando. Always so jealous Sebastian.”

“Why do you do that?” Sebastian fumes. “Why do you have to make it out that I’m stupid or a child?”

The piece of papers in his hand is snatched away, but Mark doesn’t mind. “I never said that, those are your words,” Mark tells him calmly folding his arms. “Tell me what you want Sebastian or get out.”

The last thing Mark expected was Sebastian to storm over, grab his face and kiss him. Hard. Mark’s hand hurriedly moves to circle Sebastian, purely for balance as Sebastian backs him to the desk in the room. The fact that he was pulling Sebastian closer, hands soon in his hair to try deepen the kiss was not worth noting.

Mark’s aware, for the first time in their relationship, he wasn’t in control. Sebastian kisses him and Mark willingly submits, because fighting back would mean that the feisty Sebastian squirming against him, kisses him hungrily would disappear.

Sebastian pulls away, both breathing hard. Mark tries to clear his head. “Rule 8, no kissing.”

Sebastian looks behind them at the rules on the ground. He glares at Mark, “You ripped them up.”

“You were have a tant-“ Mark’s sentence is cut off when Seb’s lips slam into his again, teeth smashing together unpleasantly.

“I want to fuck you,” Seb says between kisses and Mark pulling his shirt off.

Mark freezes and Sebastian keeps unbuttoning his shirt. “That’s what I want Mark. I want to fuck you. You never let me, not then anyway. I’ll be gentle.” The last part could be sarcasm, that’s how Mark hears it anyway.

“No,” Mark tells him shakily grabbing his wrists.

“When will you ever trust me?” Sebastian asks quietly trying to get his hands free only to have Mark tighten his grip.

“Never.” Mark doesn’t even think, the answer falls from his lips, like it was muscle memory.

“Let me go,” Sebastian orders with a shaky voice and Mark can see he’s upset as he releases his hold.

“Rules are rules for a reason,” Mark tells him as he picks up his shirt and yanks it on.

“Then don’t change them either,” Sebastian retorts. “You asked what I wanted and I told you.”

“I don’t submit to you,” Mark answers as evenly as he could.

Sebastian points at the floor furiously. “There’s no rule there that says I do either. And I’m not going to do that again.”

Mark blinks when the door of his hotel room slams shut loudly. It echoes in his head long after. Well fuck.

*

It’s ridiculous to be hung up on their last encounter. Mark goes back to his life, decides to ignore the whole weekend. Things will be fine and return to their mostly silently existence between him and Seb.

Except he finds himself remembering their heated kisses, finds himself caught up in their past encounters. He winces at the memory of some of them, of how harsh he was, how uncaring. And yet… Seb never said no, never denied him, and Seb was right, it wasn’t him that called Seb. Seb came to him every time, after every blow up, every argument and annoyance and trusted him enough that he would walk away in one piece.

Mark thinks it was too much trust. Hurting Seb had been his intention in all their encounters. Mark is pretty sure that Seb putting his trust in him back then was completely idiotic. It wasn’t enough though for Mark to hand his over now. He wasn’t ready. Not now and he’s not sure he’ll every be ready.

*

They’re still not talking when a few weeks later they find themselves sharing an elevator together at the hotel they were staying at. Mark looks up from his phone as Sebastian steps in, decked out in his Ferrari gear, heading to the circuit.

“Mark,” he gives him a tight smile.

“Sebastian,” Mark answers coolly.

“Still ignoring me because of your trust issues?” Sebastian’s question is so casual it has Mark squeeze his phone tightly.

“Fucking hell.” Mark mutters under his breath and steps forward and slams the stop button. “Seriously? I’d rather we just didn’t talk.”

Sebastian crosses his arms and taps his foot. “I’m going to be late.”

“And I don’t give a shit,” Mark answers.

“No, it’s quite clear that was always the case,” Sebastian looks at his watch. Mark wants to beat the indifference out of him.

“Can I remind you,” Mark moves to face him, “I warned you to not dig up the past and do this. You ignored me!”

“Yes, you were so resistance,” Sebastian’s sarcasm may as well drip down and form puddles at their feet.

Mark’s fist slams onto the wall next to his head. “Why the hell couldn’t you just leave this alone. The past was the fucking past!”

Sebastian lifts his chin, glaring defiantly at Mark. “I still have feelings for you.” Sebastian shoves Mark back and slams the button to get the elevator moving.

Mark wants to ask when the hell there was time for feelings between them? “Five years Seb,” he breathes out. “You waited five years.”

“And you still texted me back,” Sebastian keeps throwing that back in his face and before Mark can say anything else, he had stepped out of their confined space and stalked away.

*

Mark didn’t want to be petty. But really this whole mess was Sebastian’s fault, and hell what was some little game of torment going to result in anyway?

It’s not quick, and it means more race attendances, but it feels worth it. Being at the track for starters meant he could ignore Sebastian completely and he then can spend as much time as possible with Fernando.

And Mark’s right, it takes 2 races to go by before Sebastian finally snaps on the 3rd.

_I want to see you._

Mark smirks at the text as he leaves the circuit on the Thursday. The next text from Sebastian is his hotel and room number details.

_Sorry I have plans tonight. Fernando has invited me to dinner. Do you want to join us? Could be fun?_

Yes, he was an asshole but he didn’t care. He was going to break Sebastian over this so hard, and he no longer cared if he drowned. It was going to be fucking worth it.

The next day at the circuit, when he passes Sebastian, the Ferrari driver slams into his shoulder. Hard. Eyes ablaze with anger. He had this all under control… at least till he was cornered by Seb’s far too patient assistant Britta.

Mark was given a right dressing down, the small blonde exploding at him in a quiet section of the paddock. She does a good job of making him feel somewhat guilty before she turns and storms away after promising to make Mark’s life just as much as a misery as he was making Seb’s.

Deciding that Britta was right, he keeps his distance from Seb and waits till race was wrapped up, and all press commitments are finalised before he heads to Seb’s hotel room.

“Hey Britta,” Seb says as he yanks open the door only to pause and glare at Mark’s presence.

Mark’s foot steps out to stop the door from slamming closed. “Let’s talk,” Mark shoves his way into the room.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Sebastian hisses and he goes to grab his earphones, clearly determined to ignore Mark.

“How much have you told Britta about us?” At least the question has Sebastian freeze as Mark drops down on to the sofa and puts his feet up on the small coffee table.

“I haven’t told Britta anything,” Sebastian answers. “Did she say something to you?”

“Threatened to kick my ass if I hurt you, descriptive threats to bring about my misery and doom,” Mark shrugs.

“Ha,” Sebastian smiled. “Britta just got a pay rise.”

Mark rolls his eyes. “So she knows.”

“Of course not,” Sebastian huffs. “Well, I don’t discuss you with her. I don’t discuss you with anyone.”

“I’m just your dark secret then?” Mark questions with raised eyebrows.

“Something like that,” Sebastian mutters. “Can you stop making yourself comfortable.” He snatches his jar of lollies that was gift from a fan from Mark’s curious fingers. “You were right, this was stupid. We are going back to silence.” He slams the lollies down out of Mark’s reach.

Mark reaches over and grabs his knee and pulls him back over. “No,” he states as he takes in Seb’s smooth legs. His hand drags down his calf as far as he can reach before it returns to his knee and higher sliding under the edge of his shorts. “You never shaved your legs for me.”

Mark’s comment has Sebastian’s cheek heat up. “You never asked.”

“How much did you shave?” Mark was staring blatantly at his crotch.

“That’s none of your business,” Sebastian snaps. “Leave.” He points at the door.

“Don’t you want me to apologise?” Mark lifts his hand to Sebastian’s hip, fingers pulling his shirt up bit by bit.

“You think you can seduce me and everything will be okay?” Sebastian scowls batting at Mark’s hand. He lets out an annoyed grunt when Mark yanks at him and drags him onto his lap.

“Well, yes,” Mark answers smirking. “I know _exactly_ what you like.”

Sebastian snorts. “Sorry Mark, bending over the nearest piece of furniture is not what I like.”

“Well, a debate for another day,” Mark says and when he leans in to try and kiss Sebastian, Seb only raises himself up on his knees, moves backwards out of his reach. “You really turning down my offer to apologise?”

“I’m not in the mood for sex,” Sebastian says gasping when Mark presses his face into his stomach, nuzzling him. His hands fly to the back of Mark’s head, and Mark uses the opportunity to push up his shirt so he can kiss the bare skin.

His lips nibble on the flesh, letting Sebastian push his head around and at his belly button, his tongue snakes out, licking at the trail of hair. “You’re probably right,” Mark murmurs staring up to meet Sebastian’s wide and darkened eyes. “No sex, we should take things slow. Do this properly.”

“Properly?” Sebastian repeats confused.

Mark’s hands are under Seb’s shirt, running over the skin, brushing his nipples, finding it odd that Sebastian shuddered at the simple touch. Seb was right, he probably didn’t know enough of what Seb really liked.

“We should spend time together. Get to know each other.”

“We know each other,” Sebastian lets out a loud whimper when Mark twists his nipples gently. “Stop doing that!” Sebastian tries to push his hands away.

“But you like it,” Mark argues once more back looking at his crotch and the very obvious reaction.

“Yes, but you can’t talk to me and do that at the same time and expect a response,” Sebastian shudders once more in Mark’s lap before Mark relents and withdraws his hand, holding them up in surrender.

“I’m not going to date you Mark,” Sebastian pulls his shirt down and crawls off Mark’s lap.

“Yes you are,” Mark states reaching down to adjust his jeans that were getting uncomfortable. “You will take me out, you will woo me and then I’ll decide if you can get in my pants.”

“Flowers and chocolates and all that shit?” Sebastian looked incensed.

“Come on mate, you don’t have to be so cliché. I’m simply saying I want to spend time with you. Away from the track. Just you and me.”

Sebastian purses his lips. “No rules?”

Mark gives him a small smile. “No rules. Just… you and me.”

“You sound like it will be torture,” Sebastian frowns at the wince in his tone.

“It will be,” Mark answers. “Letting you in my life. That’s what you want isn’t it? That’s what you’re asking from me. Or am I wrong and you just want to fuck me the one time and then put this all to bed. Bury it all like it should have been done years ago.”

Sebastian was staring at him, rocking on his heels like he wasn’t sure this was a genuine offer.

“Well?” Mark presses.

“Yeah,” Sebastian answers quietly. “I want in on your life.”

Mark nods and gets to his feet. His hands grasp Sebastian’s face, framing it gently. “Trust is built Seb, not just given. I need time. So do the time with me.” Mark’s thumbs rub over his temples and there’s hope shining his eyes, cautious as it was. And once upon a time, Mark would have taken it and crushed it under his heel, but tonight, he leans forward and kisses his lips softly.

“Goodnight Sebastian.”

“Mark,” Sebastian calls out before he can open the door.

Turning around Mark finds his arms full of the German and he’s more than happy to meet him halfway to kiss him. They fall against the door, as their lips part for the other. But just as Mark was about to push Sebastian back to the couch, Sebastian darts out of his grasp, looking flushed with his swollen lips.

“Okay, that’s a better kiss,” Sebastian tells him wiping his mouth. “You can go now.”

Mark really doesn’t want to go.

“I’ll call you,” Sebastian promises with a knowing smirk.

“Right,” Mark twists the door handle open and it falls closed behind him quietly.

5 years of silence and here they were, about to delve into a world with no rules. Mark’s mostly sure that it was terror he felt, but it didn’t stop him from making sure his phone wasn’t on silent. Just in case Seb called him tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been so long since I have written anything to completion. And yet I wrote this in a few hours. Randomly. Crazy world our heads can live in.  
> And here I am trying to write something big and epic and I'm being distracted. Oh well. Hope it's not too rubbish.


End file.
